Concept:The correct answer is the word that is most opposite in meaning to the underlined word and fits the sentence logically.
Explanation:"Alleviate" means to make something less severe or to reduce pain or difficulty.
For example, good qualities help reduce the suffering caused by poverty.
The opposite of "alleviate" is "aggravate", which means to make a problem worse or more serious.
Bad qualities would make poverty worse, not better.
Therefore, "aggravate" correctly fills the gap.
Other options do not match the opposite meaning: "prolong" means to extend, "activate" means to make active, and "provoke" means to stimulate or cause a reaction.
Answer:C. aggravate